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Judgeship fitting for SIU’s Scott

Mon., Oct. 14, 2013

Re: Taking the SIU to the next level, Opinion Oct. 11

Taking the SIU to the next level, Opinion Oct. 11

I would like to express thanks and appreciation to Ian Scott for his civilian oversight leadership of policing in Ontario, and the successful completion of his five-year tenure as the director of the Ontario Special Investigations Unit (SIU).

During his tenure, I believe that that he has improved the ability of the SIU to serve the public interest, and increased public confidence in the ability of the SIU to investigate, resolve or refer for prosecution the increasing number of cases involving police interactions with the public that result in either serious injuries or death, or sexual assault cases involving police.

He ensured that the SIU mandate was better served through improved public confidence in the police oversight and accountability functions of the SIU. For example, during his tenure, the dissemination of the outcome of investigations was widely circulated through press releases that allowed the public to be apprised of the disposition of SIU complaints, which improved public confidence in the SIU police oversight leadership, and accountability of policing in Ontario.

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His ideas for reforms of the SIU including his call for the SIU to become an independent agency accountable to the legislature are testament to his belief in strengthening public confidence in the police oversight and accountability mandate of the SIU, which in turn may build public trust in our civilian oversight bodies.

Finally, Ian Scott was one of the best SIU directors in bettering public confidence in police oversight and accountability. He has served the public interest well, and I believe that it would be apt and fitting if the province of Ontario could harness and leverage his leadership in the legal and judicial system by considering the feasibility of appointing him as a judge in the Ontario courts, if he is available to serve in such a capacity.

Gary Pieters, President of the Urban Alliance on Race Relations, Toronto

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